REUTERS - In December, crude runs rose 4.4 percent from the year before to 51.17 million tonnes, or 12.05 million bpd, hovering near a record of 52.78 million tonnes racked up in October.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - "Мы готовы реализовать проект продолжения "Турецкого потока" в европейские страны, европейским потребителям. Мы готовы вложить в это необходимые ресурсы, они будут исчисляться примерно в $1,4 млрд. Мы эту работу фактически готовим и даже практически ее начинаем. Но в конечном итоге все будет зависеть и от других стран, в том числе стран Евросоюза - насколько они в состоянии будут защитить свои суверенные национальные интересы в диалоге с европейскими структурами", - добавил Владимир Путин.

PLATTS - Bangladesh is planning to step up efforts to liberalize its gas and LNG sectors from 2019 in order to boost private investment and enhance energy security, a move that would likely increase domestic downstream competition and affect the competitiveness of existing oil-linked LNG supply contracts.

NOVATEK - In 2018, NOVATEK’s hydrocarbon production totaled 548.4 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe), including 68.81 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas and 11,800 thousand tons of liquids (gas condensate and crude oil), resulting in an increase in total hydrocarbons produced by 35.1 million boe, or by 6.9% as compared with the twelve months 2017.

REUTERS - Germany will try to protect German and European companies from some potentially “massive collateral damage” if Washington levies further sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

REUTERS - Threatening to impose U.S. sanctions on companies involved in the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline is unacceptable, the head of Austria’s OMV, which has a stake in the project, told Germany’s Handelsblatt.

U.S. EIA - EIA forecasts Brent prices will average $61 per barrel (b) in 2019 and $65/b in 2020. In 2018, Brent prices averaged $71/b.

REUTERS - The United States has warned German companies involved in the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that they could face sanctions if they stick with the project.

PLATTS - China's crude oil imports surged 29.9% year on year to 10.35 million b/d in December, bringing total imports to 9.28 million b/d in 2018, up 10.1% year on year, preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs showed Monday.

BLOOMBERG - Russia’s Novatek PJSC is looking at storing liquefied natural gas produced in the Arctic on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu so it can better meet spot demand from China and cut shipping costs.

EBRD - The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is announcing financial close, with €3.9 billion secured from public and private lenders.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - “В нефтяной отрасли мы в 2018 году по итогам года добыли 556 миллионов тонн нефти. Это на 10 миллионов тонн больше, чем в 2017 году. Прирост составил 1,6 процента. Было введено в эксплуатацию 54 месторождения. В газовой отрасли также побит 18-летний рекорд по добыче – 725 миллиардов кубических метров газа добыто. Это составляет примерно пятипроцентный прирост к 2017 году”, - сообщил Александр Новак.

REUTERS - U.S. sanctions against the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline would be the wrong way to solve a dispute over energy supply, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday.

REUTERS - The number of U.S. liquefied natural gas vessels that went to China in 2018 fell by around 20 percent from the prior year as the trade war between Beijing and Washington heated up.

PLATTS - The global LNG shipping spot market is expected to remain strong in 2019 on the back of higher spot LNG demand and trading volume growth outpacing LNG vessel supply, according to analysts and ship brokers.